The Wanderers
by Blissinator
Summary: Caroline Forbes, orphaned after her parents murder when she was younger, finds that things aren't turning out exactly as she planned. But when the mysterious Original vampire, Klaus Mikaelson, breezes into town with a destructive plan that involves her. Caroline finds herself thrust into a world she never knew about, and a history she didn't know she was a part of.
1. Recall

**Hey all! I'm back and with a new fic! So just some things to go over before you read on: As far as I'm concerned, Stefan and Damon aren't in this story (they may appear later if I feel like they are relevant to the storyline), this is for the most part set in the TVD world so it's not AU. Caroline, Elena, and Bonnie don't know vampires exist (yet), although they are aware that the world is somewhat mystical because of Bonnie being a witch. Also, Silas is in this story, but his story may not be the same as it's portrayed in TVD. It's going to be a crazy ride, but I have some awesome ideas for this fic, so I hope you all enjoy it! Let me know what you think! **

**Prologue**

_8 years ago _

The wind pushed the leafless branches up against the Forbes house; they clawed and scratched against the second story windows, making an awful screeching sound. Caroline Forbes listened in horror as she clutched her small worn teddy bear to her chest. She had already crawled into bed, sitting cross-legged as she waited for her mother to join her. Her hair was brushed, long blond curls trailing down her back smooth and precise, and her teeth were brushed. It was dark outside, and due to one of the street lamps lights being out, the night seemed to be darker; swallowing their tiny house whole.

"Caroline," A voice said, making her jump. She turned to see her mother standing in the doorway, a smile on her lips. "Ready for bed?"

"Yeah," Caroline said, although her voice was weary. The dark still scared her, although her mother had told her many times that it was 'mind over matter.'

"Fear is a choice," she had said, when Caroline insisted on sleeping with a night-light. "And if you let it control you, then you are only hurting yourself."

So she had slept without the night-light, and embraced her fear, and it only took her a month before she was able to comfortably close her eyes and find peaceful sleep. But this night, she felt as if something was off; as if the night were tangible, and could reach out at any moment and grab her.

Liz walked over to Caroline's bedside, and pushed back her daughter's hair. In this light Caroline looked older than ten, much older, which gave Liz an odd shake. Caroline lifted the blanket, and snuggled down under the sheets, placing her teddy bear beside her as she smiled up at her mom.

"Have a good night, honey." Liz said, patting Caroline on the arm and kissing her forehead.

As she got up to leave, she felt Caroline's small hand grasp her arm.

"Can you sing to me before you go?" She asked, her voice small and light.

Liz turned back and smiled; Caroline hadn't asked her to sing in years. It had been a method to get Caroline to sleep when she was younger, and Liz had thought she'd grown out of it. But with Caroline's pleading eyes, and the strange sound of the wind beating against the window, Liz gave in.

"Alright," she said, sitting back down. "Which song?"

"Rose Red," Caroline immediately responded, her favorite. The song always left her feeling both empty and full, and she didn't understand how that could be.

"Rose Rose Rose Red," Liz started, her voice soft. "Will thy ever see thee wed?"

Caroline closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the song that was sung so sadly. It told the story of a princess, and her unwillingness to marry without love, despite her father's pleas. Her favorite part was when the song went on to talk about her light through the darkness, but Caroline felt her eyelids grow heavy, and soon her mothers voice seemed to be only a memory.

Caroline awoke to a bang, it felt as if it had rocked the whole house, which wheezed under this sound. Caroline looked around her room, the only light coming from the moon outside, which hung low in the sky. She shot up in bed, her heart beating fast, although she didn't know why. She felt a shift in the air, and it make her skin crawl.

There was a low creak that echoed throughout the house, like someone was stepping on a loose floorboard. Caroline's heart beat hard against her chest, making her vision shake and her mouth go dry. She could feel the fear push its way into her mind, it made her tremble.

"Mind over matter," Caroline whispered to herself, closing her eyes.

She repeated the phrase three more times before she heard her mothers voice call out to her. Suddenly her bedroom door was open, her father stepped into the room his eyes falling on Caroline's small body buried under the covers.

"Come on honey," he said delicately, although his eyes displayed panic. Caroline could feel her fathers fear as he threw the blankets off of her, and scooped her up in his arms. He then ran out of her room, his footsteps light against their hardwood floors. As they passed the landing Caroline could have sworn she saw a dark figure lurking over the banister, by the edge of the stairs.

Once they were inside her parent's room, she watched her mother close their bedroom door. Caroline no longer felt fear; instead her body was numb with confusion.

"Bill what are we going to do?" Liz whispered, her voice breaking at the end as tears began to fill her eyes.

"Not much," Bill whispered back, his voice calm as he frantically looked around the room.

"Daddy," Caroline said, looking up at her father. "What is happening?"

Bill looked over at his daughter, the way she sat at the end of their bed, a mop of blond curls sitting on top of her head, her eyes concerned. He knew this would be the last time he saw her, and it made his heart ache.

"There are bad people here Caroline," he said, turning to look at Liz who was breathing hard. "People who want to hurt us."

Bill was kneeling now, his voice low as he kept eye contact with his daughter, trying to memorize her face.

Something broke down below, the shattering vibrated under their feet. Liz let out a sob as she hugged herself.

"What kind of bad people?" Carolina asked, she could taste the panic on her tongue; it made it tingly and sour.

"I can't explain it to you now," Bill said, there was a loud thump, which sounded like it was coming from the top of the stairs. "Because you have to hide."

"Put her under the bed Bill," Liz said, her eyes were swollen from crying, but tears were no longer forming under her eyelids, she seemed somewhat at peace with her fate.

Bill did as Liz asked, escorting Caroline to the edge of the bed.

"I don't want to," Caroline said, she had never seen her parents so frightened. "I want to stay with you."

"Not this time," Bill said, lowering Caroline down, then motioning for her to crawl under. Caroline followed orders, but only because she heard footsteps in the hallway, each one sending a shiver down her spine.

She had scooted farther under the bed, so that now all she could see was her father and mothers feet. Bill kneeled down one last time, his eyes locking with Caroline's, his were dry but hers began to water.

"We love you," he said, as if it were final.

"I love you t-" Caroline tried to whisper back but then the bedroom door swung open aggressively, and soon all Caroline could hear was Liz's screams. It took everything in Caroline not to scream along with her mother, and she watched in horror as her father ran toward the attacker, his voice booming with anger. All she could see were three pairs of feet mingled together, as if they were doing a tango. Then, suddenly there were only two because Bill's body collapsed on the ground at the base of the bed. Caroline could see his throat had been cut, blood pouring from it as his mouth made loud gurgling sounds.

"Daddy," Caroline whispered, a new set of tears forming.

Liz was still shrieking, as she tried to run to the back of the bedroom, but something stopped her. Perhaps it was a knife to the back, because she too was suddenly on the floor, her head landing perfectly next to the bed. She could see her daughter from where she lay; Caroline had tears streaming down her face, her small hands covering her ears as she tried to block out the pain.

Caroline watched her mom closely; unsure of what to do or not do; then she saw her mother's lips move.

_Run_

They said.

Caroline took her hands away from her ears, and looked down at the end of the bed where a pair of feet stood, it appeared the attacker was staring down at Liz. Caroline knew that if she was going to run, now would be the time, when the killer was distracted.

Caroline watched the man kneeling down, and draw the knife in Liz's back, out. Liz wailed in pain, as the man plunged the knife back into her spine a second later. Caroline saw her mother's nails dig into the hardwood floors, leaving scratch marks. Caroline turned away quickly, knowing she needed to leave, now.

Caroline scooted her body to the opposite end of the bed, keeping a steady eye on the killer's feet. She easily slid out on the other side, her body exposed for anyone to see. Every sense in her body was exploding, she saw colors blur her vision at one point, and she could smell the salty sickening blood that filled the room. Liz was still wailing as Caroline turned her body so she had the perfect view of the bedroom door. She could hear her mothers skin tear as the blade penetrated Liz's back over and over again. Soon, Liz was silent, and Caroline felt herself begin to cry again, but she willed that fear down. In one impulsive motion, Caroline pulled herself up from the ground with her hands and made a mad dash for the door. She didn't turn around to see if the dark figure was following her, and when she came to her fathers bloody corpse she jumped over it without looking down.

All she could hear were her mother's words: _Run. Run. Run_

And she did. She ran down the steps and out through the front door, past the neighbor's houses and down the dimly lit street. She never looked back; she just kept running, her blood pounding in her ear. Even when she made it to the police station, it took more then one set of hands to calm her down. She couldn't hear their words as they tried to make sense of the situation, all she could hear were her mother's screams, all she could see was the dark figure and the way he easily took her parents life.

**Chapter 1**

_8 years later_

Caroline's mind buzzed with the memory of that night, and as much as she tried to push it away, it kept fighting its way back through. She tried to focus on the sound her feet made when they pounded against the cement sidewalk, or her breath, loud as she rounded the last corner, signaling she was on her sixth mile.

_Keep running. _She told herself. _You're almost there._

She could see her grandmother's house in the distance, a familiar place that she had learned to call home. In fact, over the years, she had learned to call all of Mystic Falls her home, despite its glaring difference from her childhood house that was four hours away. A place she wouldn't dare return to. She hadn't thought about it much, but with this old memory forcing its way into her mind, she found it hard to ignore.

Caroline climbed up the houses steps, once she reached the porch she leaned over, placing her hands on her knees. Deep breaths escaped her mouth, and her throat begged for water. She stood up, ready to head for the kitchen, but as she did so she saw her grandmother sitting in her rocking chair on the porch, staring at Caroline.

"Hey," Caroline said, still trying to catch her breath.

"It's acting up again isn't it?" Grandma Rose asked, her eyes full of concern.

Caroline licked her lips and turned away. By 'acting up' her grandmother meant her PTSD, which she had since after the accident. Her panic attacks would happen less often now that she was older, but it was days like this, when the memory was too strong that it all came rushing back to her.

"It's fine," Caroline said, looking back at Rose. "Everything's fine."

Caroline then moved into the house, she could hear her grandmother humming after her, which implied Rose knew better. She had always been able to tell when there was something wrong with Caroline, and especially taking her in after the accident, her senses were extra sensitive. When Caroline was younger and would have night terrors, her grandmother was always there, even before Caroline could scream out. She had become a kind of safety blanket for Caroline, but the blond haired girl knew better than to believe her grandmother could save her from everything. She threw that notion away a long time ago.

Caroline made her way upstairs, stripping off her clothes as soon as she got in her room, and then hoping into the shower. She breathed out as the hot water made contact with her body, the steam rising up and filling her pores. She tried to relax her mind, easing it back into a space that is comfortable for her. Taking showers had always been a calming mechanism, especially after the accident; even now she could feel her body calm itself; the tension lifting from her.

Then she heard a crash.

It sounded so familiar, as if it were an echo in her head from a past memory. Caroline's eyes shot up, and she immediately turned off the running water, then she carefully slid the shower curtain aside as she stuck her head out. She listened carefully but all she heard was the water dripping from the tap behind her. Then there was a loud thud, it literally shook the whole house, making Caroline slip and fall on the hard tub. Her head smacked against one of the corners, and her ankle scraped against the faucet, a fresh wound appearing as blood began to pour from it. Caroline winced, sure that she had just felt an earthquake, but in too much pain to care.

"Caroline?" A voice called out, it was her grandmother.

"Grandma?" Caroline responded, although her voice sounded distant, even to her.

"Are you alright?" Rose said, opening the door to the bathroom. She gasped when she saw the cut on Caroline's foot and the position she was in.

"Me?" Caroline said, trying to sit up. "What about you? I heard the crash."

"What crash?" Rose said, wetting a hand towel in the sink and rushing over to Caroline.

"When I was in the shower it sounded like something broke, and then there was this earthquake-" Caroline went on to say.

"Earthquake?" Rose said, looking at Caroline, her eyes concerned. "How hard did you hit your head?"

"You didn't feel that?" Caroline asked, as her grandmother brought a hand up to her head. Rose shook her head as she began dapping Caroline's wounds.

Caroline felt like she wanted to cry, she was sure it had happened, how else would she end up like this? She was so frustrated she grabbed the rag from her grandmother and began cleaning her own wounds.

"I got it," She whispered, wiping away all the blood.

Rose didn't say anything as she stared down at her granddaughter. She almost considered suggesting taking her back to the doctor, but they both knew Caroline's answer.

"Caroline, I'm worried about you," Rose said instead.

"I'm fine," Caroline said, looking up. "I promise."

-t-v-d

As soon as Caroline cleaned up her cut, she got out of the shower and dressed herself, when she checked her phone she saw she had three missed calls from Elena. So she re-dialed her number and waited, it only took one ring before Elena picked up.

"Where are you?" Elena asked, her voice sounding panicky.

"Home," Caroline responded. "Why?"

"_Why_?" Elena hissed into the phone. "Because you're supposed to be at Matt's party at the Grill right now."

Caroline froze, and then closed her eyes slowly. _Shit_. She had completely forgotten that Matt's work was throwing him a party at the Grill, despite his birthday being three days ago, and she was supposed to help Elena set up.

"That's today isn't it?" Caroline said, bringing her hand up to her forehead. There was silence on the other end of the phone, which generally meant that Elena was so mad she couldn't even respond.

"Well at least you're there," Caroline said, grabbing one of her white sandals, then scanning the room for her other one.

"Caroline," Elena said, sighing through the phone. "I need you."

Caroline couldn't count how many times Elena had said that phrase to her. It was often used last year, when Elena's parents had died in a car accident. It was the only real connection they shared, both having lost their parents. Elena and Caroline had been friends since Caroline first moved to Mystic Falls eight years ago, but it was that tragedy that brought them closer than ever and although this was a completely different circumstance Caroline knew she had to go.

"I'm on my way," Caroline said, then closed the phone as she located her other shoe.

T-H-E V-A-M-P-I-R-E D-I-A-R-I-E-S

"Thank god you're here," Bonnie said, meeting Caroline at the front door.

Bonnie seemed to be greeting people as they walked in, her petit caramel frame hidden behind the front desk. On most nights she worked as the Mystic Host, but tonight she was in charge of the guest list. Caroline could see that most people had already showed up, and music from the jukebox was already playing in the back.

"How's it going?" Caroline asked, spotting Matt and Elena in the back of the Grill. She waved at them, Matt was the only one that smiled and waved back.

"She's freaking out," Bonnie said, taking a sip of her drink. Bonnie had been Caroline's first friend when she moved here, she had always been Caroline's rock, her bright smile and warm personality had gotten Caroline through some bad times.

"Why?" Caroline asked, moving in next to Bonnie. "Everything looks great, even without my help."

"Not about the party," Bonnie said, giving Caroline a look.

It took Caroline a moment but then she understood. Elena had been debating about whether or not to break up with Matt Donovan, current boyfriend and captain of the football team, in other words every girls dream.

"Please don't tell me she's thinking of doing it today," Caroline said, taking a sip of Bonnie's drink.

"Her excuse is that it isn't really his birthday anymore," Bonnie said, rolling her eyes. "Therefore it's ok."

"Typical," Caroline mumbled, handing Bonnie back her drink.

"What happened to your foot?" Bonnie asked, staring down at Caroline's leg.

Caroline followed her line of sight, which of course landed on her patched up ankle.

"I fell," Caroline said, with a nervous laugh, but Bonnie didn't laugh with her, instead she gave Caroline a serious look. Then her eyes slightly shifted passed Caroline to someone who had just walked in, her eyes grew wide as they filled with horror.

"Bonnie?" Caroline asked, staring into her friend's eyes. She then turned around, seeing the back of a man, as he made his way to the bar. He didn't seem familiar.

"Who is that?" Caroline asked, turning back to Bonnie, but the small girl seemed to be in some kind of trance, her eyes glued to the man at the bar.

"Scotch," The man said, his voice thick with an English accent. No, he definitely wasn't from around here. Caroline and Bonnie weren't the only ones that noticed the new visitor; a few girls from the party also had their eyes on him, giggling to each other. The man turned so that Caroline could now see his side profile, sandy blonde hair, crisp blue eyes, and the kind of lips that made you want to look away, only because they were so tempting.

The bartender slid the glass over to the man, who either didn't care or was too oblivious to notice he had just crashed a teenager's party. Either way, he didn't seem to mind, because once he downed his first drink, he motioned for another one. Caroline watched quietly on the sidelines, noticing the way his jaw clenched whenever he swallowed the alcohol. But the minute this thought entered her mind, he turned to look at her, their eyes meeting for a brief second before the world around Caroline began to shift.

Soon the man at the bar was no longer there; in fact, there was no longer a bar present. Instead Caroline was staring at a different man, one that had dark hair and green eyes. He was standing alone by a fire that had somehow appeared when Caroline's eyes were transitioning. It was like she was now looking at a whole new world, that consisted of her and this strange man alone together in what looked like a small hut. The man was dressed in clothes that could be considered rags, and as Caroline looked around the room she saw knives and dead chickens, a sight that made her shiver. Everything was slightly blurry, like she was in some kind of dream, but the feeling that overcame her in that moment was so real it made her knees shake.

It was love.

She couldn't think of any other word to describe it, and although Caroline had never been in love, she was sure this was what it felt like. It pulsed through ever fiber of her being, making her thoughts fuzzy and her heartbeat quicken. All these emotions from staring at a man she had never seen before, and by just looking into his eyes, she knew he also felt the same about her, which made her even more nervous.

Suddenly someone grabbed Caroline's arm, and when she turned to look at whom it was, everything felt as if it were moving in slow motion.

"Camellia," A voice said, and looking to her left she saw another man she wasn't familiar with, but then the new world began to blur in front of her.

It was like she was looking at a melting picture, the faces began to droop and it felt like the fire in front of her was licking her feet. She tried to pull away from the mysterious new man, but he had a hold on her, and when she turned back to look at the man who had evoked so much emotion in her, he was gone.

"Caroline!' Someone yelled, making her ear ring. Caroline closed her eyes, wanting this hot and sticky feeling to be over.

"Caroline!" Someone said again, she could still feel that mans hand on her arm, and she wanted nothing more than for it to be removed. Then she felt her body being shaken, strong hands on either side of her arms, so she willed her eyes open. And for once, she was staring into a familiar face.

"Tyler?" Caroline said, staring at the dark haired boy in front of her. He had his hands on each arm, as if he were trying to wake her from a deep sleep.

"Are you ok?" He asked, letting her go slowly. Caroline looked away from him, her eyes scanning the room as people stared at her in horror. What had she done?

"Caroline," Elena said, pushing her way through the crowd that had gathered.

Caroline looked around her, noticing the familiarity of the Grill and the people. She saw that Bonnie was now sitting down, her eyes still looking distant, as if she had seen a ghost.

Caroline realized that she was crying, she lifted a hand up to her face, feeling the warm tears sliding down her cheek. When had she started crying? And she still felt hot like the fire in the dream had been real; burning her. And that man…

Caroline craned her neck over Tyler's shoulder to where the man with the English accent had been sitting, the one who's eyes had transported her into another world. But he was gone, his glass wasn't even present on the counter, had she imagined him being there?

"Alright, that's it." Tyler said, turning around to the crowd of people. "Shows over."

Everyone slowly began to disperse, although their eyes remained on Caroline, still cautious and wary.

Caroline felt like she was losing her mind, perhaps she was crazy, and the PTSD was getting worse. After the memory of her parents had slipped into her mind this morning, everything seemed to be going to hell. But what she just saw couldn't have been a memory, could it? It certainly felt like one, but she didn't recognize those people, or that _time period_. She knew she had to leave, so she pulled her purse over her shoulder and made her way toward the door. She could hear multiple people calling after her, but she ignored them as she marched toward her car, fresh tears forming under her eyelids.

_I'm not crazy. _Caroline thought, trying to breath. _I'm not crazy. _

…_Or am I? _

**AH. There it is! Hate it? Love it? Tell me your thoughts!**

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	2. Waking the Dead

Marcel leaned back in his chair, watching the setting sun peak through the drapes that hung in front of the far window, filling the room with an almost eerie lighting. He examined this new house he would temporarily call home, at least until his work was done. It was so old the outside wood was beginning to rot, pieces of it were hanging off the roof and there was water damage on the walls of the various rooms. Time had eaten its way through the old structure, and the way the house wheezed under any weight, gave it a kind of aliveness that its exterior lacked.

He waited. And although he knew he had nothing to fear, for he had done nothing wrong, he began to feel his skin crawl. It was like a dark angel was watching him, the ones he was told about when he was a boy, where they stalked the dead men walking, until the time came to take them under their wing and lead them to damnation.

Suddenly, Marcel heard the front door of the ancient house creak open, there was a slight pause, then it closed. He listened carefully as footsteps from the intruder echoed through the foyer, to the living room, down the hallway into the small drawing room that Marcel occupied. He heard four footsteps before there was silence, he waited patiently for his guest to enter, his heart beat quickening as he listened through the thick silence.

"Hello Marcel," A voice said behind him. He jumped slightly, whipping around to encounter a familiar face. There he was, standing in the corner, his eyes slightly sparkling from the setting sun, a small smile dancing across his face. Although Marcel had known Klaus for some years, there was still something about the vampire that sent shivers down his spine, maybe it was because he knew what he was up to, or because he knew what he was capable of.

"You weren't at the Grill," Marcel said, trying to keep his voice even.

Klaus considered this as he began to pace the room, cutting his eyes to Marcel every now and then, sensing his nervousness. Just the way he liked it. He was never fond of people getting too comfortable around him, it made him feel powerless; he liked to keep people on edge.

"I was there," Klaus said, pursing his lips. "For a short while."

Klaus then found a chair across the room; his hands gripping the armchair as he eased his way down into it. He watched Marcel the whole time, as a predator would a prey.

"We were supposed to meet," Marcel said, licking his lips.

"Yes I know," Klaus said, and Marcel could tell there was something on his mind. "But then something peculiar happened."

Marcel raised an eyebrow at this, watching Klaus' eyes carefully.

"See I was at the bar waiting for you," Klaus said, his eyes narrowing. "When I felt someone watching me."

Marcel leaned forward in his chair, trying to figure out where he was going with this. Marcel had arrived just in time to see a party leaving the Grill, a group of teenagers looking bewildered and confused. He had thought nothing of it as he entered, ordering a drink, and spending a good hour downing whisky after whisky as he waited for Klaus, whom he had thought, never showed up.

"I turned to see this young woman," Klaus said, looking off in the distance, smiling. "She was looking at me with these big green eyes, in an almost hypnotic way."

"So?" Marcel interjected, he was sure this wasn't the first time a women had looked at Klaus this way, in fact he was sure of it.

"So," Klaus said, his eyes growing annoyed. "When my eyes met hers, I had another Recall."

Marcel's head shot forward, his mouth opening slightly as he computed what Klaus was saying.

"That's not possible," Marcel said, shaking his head. "There isn't supposed to be another one."

"Well there is," Klaus said, his face taking on a dark shadow.

"We made sure they were all dead ages ago," Marcel said, now standing. "You're supposed to be the only one left."

Klaus was suddenly up and by Marcel in a second, his hand gripping Marcel's throat as he threw him up against the wall, knocking down a vase and a painting of an old farm house.

"I acquired your assistance for a reason," Klaus hissed through his teeth, his eyes locked with Marcel's, which began to water. "To get me to Silas, and to eliminate any of the other Wanderers around this area."

He then released Marcel, who crumbled to the ground in a fit of coughs; wheezes coming from his chest as he struggled to breathe.

_How weak humans were. _Klaus thought as he shook his head.

"There…isn't….supposed…to…be….any…left," Marcel mumbled as he gripped his chest in pain.

Klaus didn't say anything as he moved closer to the window, moving the drape aside he scanned the distance, watching the sun blur with the trees that surrounded the old house.

"Who was she?" Marcel asked once he had re-gained his breath.

Klaus tried to remember her face, but all he saw was the woman in the Recall. Long brown hair, pale skin, this woman's eyes were blue. One look at her had sent a pang through his chest, something he hadn't felt in a long time, and it made his curiosity grow.

"I don't know," Klaus mumbled, grabbing an empty glass from the tray beside him.

"I will find her," Marcel said, struggling to stand up. He then stumbled his way over to Klaus, placing a hand his shoulder as if they were old friends. Klaus turned to look at his companion, whose eyes were bloodshot with pain and animosity. "And I will kill her."

t-v-d

Caroline took off her jacket and threw it across her room; it landed on her bed with a thud. She brought her hands up to her face, and then combed her hair back with her fingers. She tried to take deep breaths, closing her eyes, trying to make the shaking stop. She had been afraid she was going to crash on her drive home, her white knuckles clung to the steering wheel as she tried to remember what she saw. It had felt so much like a memory, a déjà vu, like she had been there before. But she didn't recognize the people, nor the place she was located.

Suddenly Caroline heard a knock on her front door; from her room she could see down the stairs and through the glass window at the top of the doorframe. She saw Bonnie's head, and a look of panic crossed over her face. Caroline ran down the stairs and threw open the door, meeting her friends eyes.

"What the hell was that?" Bonnie said giving Caroline a quick look as she pushed past her blond friend into the house.

Caroline swallowed hard, had Bonnie seen the memory too?

"What do you mean?" Caroline asked, treading lightly on the situation.

"I mean at the Grill," Bonnie said, throwing her hands in the air. "The guy that walked in…"

"You mean you saw it too?" Caroline asked, moving in closer.

Bonnie frowned, shaking her head as if she was trying to make sense of the situation as well.

"No it's what I _felt_," Bonnie said, almost in a whisper as she grabbed onto Caroline's arm. "You didn't feel that?"

"Feel what?" Caroline asked, biting her lip.

"That tall man with the blond hair?" Bonnie said, and Caroline nodded in response. "When he walked in, it was suddenly like my entire body was filled with this heaviness, like something was weighing me down."

"Ok," Caroline said, frowning.

"I felt paralyzed by it," Bonnie said, looking off into the distance as if she were remembering. "I literally couldn't move."

Caroline didn't say anything as she stared past Bonnie, thinking back to how_ she_ had felt when she saw him. It had been the complete opposite of what Bonnie was describing, if anything, Caroline had felt free and light; giddy almost.

"What did you see?" Bonnie suddenly asked, bring Caroline out of her own thoughts.

She turned to her friend, watching her closely, wondering if she should share what she had experienced. But she thought better of it, knowing that she needed at least one person in this town to think she was somewhat sane.

"It was nothing," Caroline said, looking down at the carpet. She then moved into the living room, afraid to meet Bonnie's eyes. Luckily, she didn't push it.

"Caroline," Bonnie said, warily.

"Hm?" Caroline hummed, distracting herself with the magazines in front of her; picking up the latest Peoples.

"Remember how my Grams was talking about our family being witches?" She said, almost too quietly for Caroline to hear.

Caroline looked up at this, meeting Bonnie's eyes, which were filled with anxiety.

"Yeah," Caroline responded softly.

"I think she might be right," Bonnie said in a whisper, as if the house could hear.

t-v-d

_Sophomore Year_

"This," Caroline said, her feet sinking deep into the swampy ground around her. "Is ridiculous."

She could hear Elena trekking not far behind her, and she could see Tyler and Matt far ahead of them, pushing each other, trying to make one another fall into the marsh. Bonnie was off to the side, mumbling a new cuss word every time her foot disappeared under a watery surface.

"It's only a little farther," Elena said, her voice high and chipper.

"Why did we have to take this way?" Bonnie asked, a groan escaping her mouth. "The main road would have been easier and less wet."

"Because police patrol that area," Elena said, annoyance in her voice. "Graveyards aren't technically open after hours."

"Why are we even going to the graveyard?" Bonnie said, another splash following her words. "Shit-that place freaks me the fuck out."

"Live a little," Elena mumbled back.

They continued the rest of the way forward in silence, Caroline keeping her eye on the ground in front of her, trying to dodge the water holes.

"We're here!" Tyler called out, although he was a good thirty feet ahead of them.

"Thanks for the notification!" Caroline yelled back, she could now see Tyler's body, he was looking back at her; a goofy grin on his face.

Once they had caught up with the boys, they all stopped for a moment, taking in the rows of head stones that were arranged throughout the perimeter. A few trees were placed among them, their branches and trunks bent over one another, like the grim reaper looking down upon his next prey. There was a slight chill in the air, despite the new spring weather that was slowly making it's way into their town. Half a moon hung in the sky, giving the graveyard an ominous glow; bright enough to see, dark enough to lose your way.

"Didn't I read somewhere it's bad luck to visit a graveyard for no reason?" Caroline asked, finally breaking the silence.

"We have a reason," Matt said, grinning ear to ear as he lifted up two six-packs of beer.

"I don't really call getting drunk a reason," Caroline said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Lighten up," Tyler said, moving in next to Caroline, poking her with his finger.

"Well I'm for one with Caroline," Bonnie said, her nose wrinkled as she look in the scene.

"Then why did you come?" Tyler asked, giving Bonnie a look. She rolled her eyes in response, moving forward onto the hard grass, as if she were proving a point.

Elena followed, then Matt, and Caroline let out a sigh as she decided to give in. She felt Tylers hand on her back as she took a step, as if he were escorting her somewhere. She turned to look at him, but he was looking away, as if it were some normal gesture. Caroline had known Tyler was into her, everyone seemed to be talking about it, but whenever she even considered the possibility of being with him she felt herself cringe. There was nothing wrong with him, sure he was a dick most of the time, but he was harmless. Still though, even with his hand on her back, she wanted to pull away.

They wandered through the yard, weaving their way through the headstones, trying to find an open spot. Caroline's eyes scanned the names on the slabs, spotting some people dating back to the 1700's, and some as current as the 2000's. This place was old; very old.

"Here we go," Matt said, walking into a clearing. They all walked into a small open grassed circle, where no headstone appeared to be taking residence. They then sat down, the grass dry despite the watery graveyard they just came from. Caroline listened to Matt crack open a few beers as she examined the area around them.

She had only been here once before, when her grandfather died. She had been young, back when her parents were still alive, it had been the only time she visited Mystic Falls, due to her mother and grandmothers on going disputes. Taking in the space around her, she realized she hadn't missed it. There was something about the standing or sitting atop the dead that made her skin crawl, like they would reach up and grab her at any moment, bring her down with them.

"Care," Elena said, passing her a beer.

Caroline took it, feeling its weight before she took a sip.

"This is the life," Bonnie mumbled, as she took a gulp of her own can, looking around the deserted area.

"Well," Elena said, after giving Bonnie a look. "I'm having fun."

"That's the spirit," Matt said, clinking cans with Elena, his eyes raking over her body, as if she were some prized possession. They had just started dating, but even now Caroline could tell it was doomed. Perhaps it was the way Elena looked past Matt, pretending like there was something far more interesting about being surrounded by dead people.

"How do you think most of these people died?" Elena asked, looking off in the distance.

"Judging by the age on some of these headstones," Bonnie said, squinting at one. "I'd say natural cause, or some disease."

"Nah," Tyler said with a laugh. "I'd say murder."

Everyone looked at him at the same time, then as Caroline expected, their eyes cut to her. She stared down at her beer can instead of meeting their glances, reading the calorie content over and over again. It never mattered to her when murder or parents were mentioned, but it always made her feel uncomfortable when people thought it did bother her.

"Why do you always think the worst?" Bonnie asked, her eyes narrowing at Tyler.

"Oh please," Tyler said, grabbing Caroline's hand aggressively, as if Bonnie was the one that offended Caroline. "I was joking."

"Sure you were," Bonnie mumbled back, taking a sip of her beer.

"Well I think," Elena said, cutting off the argument. "That most of them died by something supernatural."

Beer suddenly came sputtering out of Matt's mouth as he burst into a fit of laughter; Tyler joined in, they cackled, heads back taking in the moons rays.

"You're really something," Matt said, wiping a tear away from his eye. Caroline wondered if he was high.

"I'm serious," Elena said, with a nervous laugh.

"Like what?" Tyler said, still laughing. "Ghosts?"

"Nah," Matt said, smiling. "Werewolves."

"I was thinking more along the lines of…" Tyler said, placing a finger on his chin as if he were thinking hard. "Vampires."

"Ha. Ha." Elena said, rolling her eyes.

"You forgot witches," Bonnie cut in, although her eyes were serious.

Matt and Tyler looked at each other, then let out another burst of laughter as they rolled onto their backs.

"Isn't your grandmother the one that believes your family was descended from witches or something?" Tyler said, once he could breathe again.

"Yeah," Bonnie said, not making eye contact. "Or something like that."

"She also used to tell us stories about vampire's," Caroline chimed in, trying to help Bonnie. "They were pretty cool."

"Witches, Vampires, Ghosts," Matt said, smiling. "Oh my!"

The boys laughed, their voices echoing throughout the yard, and Caroline got this sudden feeling to tell them to hush, as if they might wake the dead.

"Then there are The Wanderers," Elena said after a moment.

Matt and Tyler stopped laughing, their eyes turning to Elena, who downed the rest of her beer and reached for another.

"What the hell are The Wanderers?" Tyler said, a smile teasing his lips.

Caroline's forehead creased as she rummaged around in her memory for that familiar name, she was sure she had heard it before.

"Oh yeah," Bonnie said, sitting up straighter. "Wasn't it Caroline's grandma that would tell us those stories?"

"Yeah," Elena said, pointing at Caroline. "They were my favorite."

"What were they again?" Caroline asked, pulling a blade of grass from the ground. She had heard the name before, and she vaguely remembered her grandmother telling stories about them, but it was so long ago.

"It's apparently where the phrase 'soul mates' came from," Elena said, smiling to herself.

"That's adorable," Tyler said, clasping his hands together. Caroline elbowed him in the ribs, to which he cringed, rubbing them in response.

"Doesn't sound like a dangerous supernatural creature," Matt said, with a smile.

"They were once witches," Elena said, placing her hands behind her back as she leaned against them. "Back in the middle ages."

"Then they all made a pack to do a spell, so that when they died," Bonnie said, interjecting. "Their souls would live on forever."

"So they could go from body to body," Elena said, looking off again. "Never truly dying."

"Until they could reunited with their one true love," Matt said, staring off into space as Elena was doing. She punched him in the arm, and he laughed in response.

"Actually," Bonnie said, coming to Elena's defense. "Most of them are trying to locate the power they once had when they were witches."

"How would they accomplish that?" Tyler asked, although he wasn't smiling.

Elena pursed her lips, trying to remember; Bonnie did the same.

"Wasn't it something about finding their old body and harnessing its dead energy?" Caroline said, still uprooting grass.

"Sounds dangerous," Tyler said, back to his joking self.

"With that kind of old power," Elena said, her eyes locking with Tyler's. "I'd imagine it would be."

There was a slight pause as everyone took this in. Caroline tried to think back to the rest of the story, but it wouldn't come to her. Apparently old folk tales were filed under 'things to forget' along with the rest of her childhood.

"So why are they called Wanderers then?" Matt asked, downing his second beer. "Cause their wandering until they find their old bodies?"

"Don't be stupid Matt," Tyler said, pretending to be serious. "Their wandering until they find their _true love…_their _soul mate_." He then winked at Caroline, but she turned away, feeling herself grow frustrated.

"Right well," Matt said, attempting to stand. "If come across any Wanderers, I'll be sure to stay out of their way, they seem like dangerous folk."

Tyler laughed at this before he took another swig of his beer. Suddenly there was movement behind them, and then a clicking sound followed it, it continued on for a moment as the five of them froze.

"What the fuck was that?" Tyler said, standing now.

"Can we leave now?" Bonnie asked, her voice suddenly hinting at concern. "I have a bad feeling."

"Yeah," Matt said, without arguing. "We better start heading back."

They then began to gather all the beer cans, throwing them into a trash bag they packed. The ticking continued, following them as they trekked back through the marsh, but whenever Caroline turned around she saw no one. It seemed that even when Caroline got home, crawling in through her window, the ticking continued, even into her dreams.

**Klaroline next chapter! (hate those filler chapters, but often times they are needed) Tell me what you think, next chapter should be up soon! **


	3. She'll Be Back

**THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! THEY ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. Here you go lovelies! **

Caroline opened her eyes to the soft ticking-no-tapping coming from her window. She squinted against the sunlight as she strained to see the cause of the disturbance. She saw a tree branch brush up against the transparent surface, the wind pushing it, making the branches lightly tap against the glass. She rolled over and groaned, her head throbbing from her dream- her memory. She barely remembered that night that took place over a year ago, back when things were somewhat normal; before Elena's parents died, and before she began to flashback to _that _night again.

Caroline sat up in her bed, glancing around her room and spotting her running shoes in the far corner. She wouldn't allow her mind to go back there, not this time. So she shot out of bed, throwing on a pair of shorts, sports bra, and a tank top she began to make her decent downstairs, catching her grandmothers attention. Rose was sitting at the island in the kitchen, reading the newspaper, her favorite pair of reading glasses on. When she saw Caroline she put down the paper and took off her glasses before clearing her throat.

"Where are you off too?" Rose asked, a tight smile on her lips.

"I'm going out for a run," Caroline responded, grabbing her ankle and pulling it up behind her for a stretch.

"Do you think that's best considering what happened yesterday?" Rose asked, eyeing Caroline closely.

"I'll be fine," Caroline said, lifting up her iPod, which she rarely ran with. She only used it when she couldn't listen to her own thoughts.

"Ok," Rose said, picking up the newspaper again. "By the way I made an appointment with Dr. Ott."

"What?" Caroline said, sending Rose an alarmed look. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I worry," Rose said, looking over at Caroline. "About you."

"Grandma I'm fine," Caroline said, walking over to the island. "I don't need to see a doctor."

_I'm not crazy. _

She wanted to say this out loud, but she knew that would make her appear even crazier than her grandmother already thought she was.

"Therapist," Rose corrected, her voice low.

Caroline grinded her teeth together; as if she needed that reminder.

"I don't need to see a therapist."

"I beg to differ."

"I won't go."

"Tomorrow, nine O'clock," Rose said, her voice rising. "You're going."

Caroline didn't say anything more as she turned away, heading straight for the front door. Her mind buzzing with angry thoughts; she could feel her cheeks getting red as she opened the front door, the last hint of summer breeze brushing against Caroline's face.

"Caroline," Rose said, her voice tender. "I only want what's best for you."

Caroline immediately felt herself calm down, as if those gentle words were enough to reminder her of what she lost, and that Rose was all she had left.

"I know," Caroline said, without looking back, as she forced herself through the front door.

t-v-d

Caroline turned the volume up all the way on her iPod, her feet pounding against the ground to the beat of the song; her head bobbing this way and that. She tried to focus on the lyrics rather than the background noise that was her thoughts.

She made her way toward Kory Forest, her favorite running trail, it looped all the way around Mystic Falls, making up the boarder. There were two trails, one was shorter, it cut part way through the town and then curved back toward the outer loop. But Caroline preferred the longer trail, she could see more, and it always made her legs burn, no matter how many times she ran it.

She entered the forest, the coolness of the trees engulfing her body as she fell into an easy pace. The narrow trail led her deeper, coming across multiple streams; Caroline had memorized every obstacle on this path, where each root stuck out, all the sudden turns, or protruding branches. It was the one place that was constant for her, growing with her and around her, leaving her feeling comfortable and at ease.

Suddenly Caroline's foot caught on something, sending her flying forward, her hands the first to contact the damp ground. She rolled, her head hitting hard against the dirt despite her efforts to prevent herself from tripping. She finally came to a stop a few feet away, her ears ringing and knee throbbing. It seemed the world had grown quiet, and she noticed her earphones had fallen out in her debacle; they were thrown off into a nearby bush with her iPod attached. Caroline turned her head, looking down the way she had come, trying to find the source of the disturbance. She saw something in the distance, a few feet away, but her vision was still blurry from her fall and as her eyes began to focus she saw that it was no root that had disrupted her path.

Caroline rolled over so she was on her hands and knees; she then crawled toward her iPod, grabbing it as she attempted to stand. She then backtracked until she could see the item that had tripped her a few feet away. As she grew closer it began to materialize, and when Caroline was close enough to see what it was, she thought she was hallucinating again.

It looked like a shoe, with a _foot_ attached.

Caroline frowned as she inched closer, realizing that she wasn't hallucinating and that it was indeed a foot. Suddenly the situation dawned upon her, and she felt herself backing away rather than moving closer.

What was happening? Why here? In her forest, her peaceful sanctuary? Caroline didn't want to believe what she was seeing, her eyes had led her a stray before, and that was the worst feeling in the world, knowing you couldn't even trust yourself.

Caroline began to move toward it again, and she found herself pushing the bushes that concealed the rest of the leg, out of the way.

Leg.

Torso.

Stomach.

Chest.

Caroline's eyes traveled farther and farther up the body despite the warning in the back of her head begging her to stop. When she reached the head, she let out a loud and piercing shriek that shook her vision.

The head was completely bloodied, the mans neck was ripped open like some kind of animal had attacked it. Caroline backed away slowly, her mind twisting and turning, trying to make sense of the situation.

"You're hallucinating," Caroline said out loud. "It's not real."

She gripped her head, and closed her eyes, willing away the sight in front of her.

"You're not hallucinating," a voice said beside her.

Caroline's eyes shot open as she turned to see who was beside her.

It was_ him_. He was smiling, a few feet away, his eyes locked with hers.

_You. _Caroline thought, she meant to say it out loud, but she didn't have time, because in a matter of seconds the man was by her side. His mouth was open as he swooped his head down, his breath hot against her neck as she felt a sting. Suddenly she couldn't focus on the world around her, she couldn't make out the leaves on the trees, they looked like great green blobs; like when your looking at the world without your glasses on….

_The moon hung low in the sky, an owls call disturbed the silence as did the sound of feet against the soft dirt outside the village. A man and woman illuminate briefly through the trees, her hand in his as he leads her through the thick brush, giggling as the leaves tickle their arms. They then stop under a willow tree, the moons pale light trickling through the holes between the branches and onto the young couples faces. _

_Silas releases Camellia's hand, stepping under the willow tree toward the trunk. Camellia stared at the world around her, in awe of the night and its dark beauty. Silas pushes away dirt as he glanced at the inscriptions on the side of the tree, words he wasn't familiar with. _

"_Did you find it?" Camellia asks, stepping forward. _

"_I believe I have," he whispers, running his hands along the jagged lines that were created long ago. _

_He then stood and turned to her, his arm outstretched, a smile on his lips. _

"_The moons light compliments you well my dear," he said, as she reached for his hand. _

_Then they both stepped toward the trunk, her eyes falling on the inscriptions, as she tried to make sense of the language. _

"_Is this the last piece?" She asked suddenly, turning to him. _

_He nodded slowly, bringing her hand up to his lips. _

Caroline opened her eyes, the heat from the fire burning her face; she saw red hot sparks against the inside of her lids, waking her up immediately. All she saw was the blazing fire in front of her, and she felt the hard pricks of the worn rug beneath her. There was a soft ticking sound, like a clock, coming from behind her. She rolled over so she was on her back, trying to remember how she came to be in this unfamiliar place.

Instinctively she reached up to her neck, feeling the soreness, although as her hand grazed over her skin, she felt no wound. She glanced down at herself, trying to feel if anything was out of place; she saw she was in her running shorts and shoes, and then it all came rushing back to her. Caroline shot up, wildly looking around the room for an exit. She got up when she spotted it across the room, and although she was sure of the inevitable, she still ran over and tried.

_Locked. Of course. _

Caroline frantically looked around the room for some kind of window, but there was none, the only light coming from the fire behind her. There had to be a way out, there was always a way out, and she couldn't just sit here waiting for _him_ to come back.

"I can't believe I didn't recognize you," A voice said behind her. She jumped, startled by the sudden presence. She scanned the room quickly, seeing the man in the forest sitting in an armchair; a drink hanging loosely from him hand.

"Stay the hell away from me," Caroline said, frantically looking around the room for some kind of weapon.

"Here I thought you were just another victim in my morning breakfast run," he continued, ignoring her feeble attempts at trying to find something to protect herself with. "But that Recall…"

Caroline ignored him as she picked up a metal fire teaser from an iron hold in the far corner; she aimed the pointed side at him, her hands shaking violently.

"There's no need for that sweetheart," Klaus said, motioning that she should drop the weapon. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Although Caroline could see the 'yet' hidden behind his eyes, as they raked over her dirt stained body.

"You already did," Caroline hissed, keeping the weapon pointed at him.

"Yes well," Klaus said, smiling. "That was before I knew who you were."

Caroline paused, slightly lowering the metal fire teaser, as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Who am I?" She asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

Klaus stood suddenly, making Caroline jump as she raised her weapon higher in response. He began to pace the room, both eyes on her as a smile teased his lips.

"You don't know?" Klaus asked, licking his lips.

Every time Klaus took one step forward, she took one step back, as if they were in some kind of dance.

"Know what?" Caroline asked, pursing her lips.

Klaus didn't say anything as he considered this, his curiosity for the girl growing each time she opened her mouth. She had been the only Wanderer he had come across that hadn't known who she was, and what her purpose was.

"I don't believe we were properly introduced," Klaus said suddenly, walking toward her. "My name is Klaus."

Simple, short. Caroline didn't like the vagueness; she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as his words echoed throughout the room.

"I don't care who you are," Caroline said, her eyes cutting to the door. "I care about getting the hell out of here."

Klaus studied Caroline, there was a long silence between them, as if Klaus were conjuring up some intricate plan in his head; and Caroline felt her heart pound against her chest. She wasn't going to survive this, not this time. Klaus then made a movement toward the door, and in one easy motion he broke the lock and swung the door open, it wheezed as it extended out. Klaus then turned back to Caroline, his eyes serious as he stared at her.

"Go," Klaus said, cocking his head toward the exit. A cool breeze made its way into the room, pushing Caroline's hair to the side, she could almost taste freedom. But she was cautious, why go to all the trouble of kidnapping her, only to let her go? She moved toward the exit slowly, remembering how quick he had been in the forest; if she let her guard down for one moment…

Klaus moved away from the door, toward the fireplace, and Caroline waited until his back was to her before making her way toward the exit.

"Just so you know," Klaus said, his back to her. "You're not the only one that sees those dreams…those _memories_."

The way he said 'memories' made it seem like he knew, about her and all the flashes of moments she was experiencing, with people she didn't know, in places she had never been. It made her hesitate at the door, to think that someone else knew what she was going through, but she shook away the feeling as she once again came to the realization of the situation she was in. She then slipped out the door, spotting the entrance at the end of the hall, she tried not to look back as she ran toward the front door, but she checked once as she stepped through the iron frame of the exit. She didn't seem him, but she could feel his eyes, as if he could see her through the walls; and after that brief pause, she was gone.

Klaus smiled, bringing a finger up to his lips as he watched Caroline weave her way through the forest, as if she could do it with her eyes closed. _Instinctively._ He then heard someone enter the room, the footsteps stopped, and he could feel Marcel scanning the room.

"Where did she go?" Marcel asked, a hint of anger in his voice. "What have you done?"

Klaus didn't turn around as he continued to watch Caroline, until she was a mere speck in even his vision.

"Klaus," Marcel said, stepping in next to his vampire companion.

"She'll be back," was all Klaus said, allowing the crimson drapes to fall back over the window.

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	4. Deep Within

Caroline dug her fingers into the soft leather of the armchair, feeling one of her nails bend under the pressure. Her legs wouldn't stop shaking, despite her efforts to press them together. She hadn't slept the night before, especially not after her recent kidnapping, that only resulted in her kidnapper letting her go. She had ran home, and tried to calm down, thought seriously about leaving town, then decided that wouldn't be best; she couldn't leave her grandmother behind, and where would she go? She then concluded that the next morning she would go and see the therapist, if she was crazy, then it was better if it was addressed now rather than later.

So here she was, in the therapist's office that smelled of apple shampoo and dry cleaning, and looked like it had come out of a décor catalogue, waiting for her brain to be diagnosed.

"Caroline Forbes," a woman said in a white lab coat. She had on thin black-rimmed glasses, and she seemed less than thrilled to be doing what she was doing.

"Yes?" Caroline said, standing up a little too quickly.

"This way," the nurse said, eyeing Caroline closely. Caroline followed the woman down a narrow hallway and into small-enclosed room. "Wait here, Dr. Ott should be in soon."

Caroline nodded as the woman closed the door, sighing as she prepared to grab the next patient. Caroline looked around the room at the various knick-knacks, some she recognized from her time here when she was younger. The red bow tied teddy bear that sat on the top shelf of her office dresser, that Caroline had often held as she went on about her nightmares. Or the bright gold pen that was now resting on a matching holder, which was usually in Dr. Ott's hand as she quickly, took down notes. Sometimes it's hard to forget the past when it's sitting right there in front of you, disguised as teddy bears and golden pens.

There was a knock on the office door before it opened, slowly Dr. Ott stuck her head into the room, a smile forming as she spotted Caroline. As she walked in, Caroline noticed how much older she looked, crow's feet were prominent around her eyes, and her hair had pieces of grey sticking out, giving the black background a shine.

"Hello Caroline," Dr. Ott said a little too enthusiastically. "It's been so long since I've seen you."

All Caroline could manage was a small smile; it wasn't like she was thrilled to be here.

"Your report says that you've been having frequent episodes, with the new addition of hallucinations." She said, staring down at a piece of paper in her hand. Caroline frowned, she hadn't said anything about hallucinations, when she filled out the report she had mentioned seeing the dead body, and hurting her foot, but she had never once used the word hallucination. Dr. Ott didn't ask if Caroline had reported the dead body to the police, which means she automatically concluded it was a hallucination. All of this wasn't real, to her there was no dead body, it was all part of poor little Caroline's messed up imagination.

"So you think I'm crazy?" Caroline blurted suddenly. All she wanted was someone to tell her she wasn't, before she started to believe it herself.

"I don't think you're crazy," Dr. Ott said, emphasizing the I. "I think that you went through a very traumatic experience when you were younger, and its affects are now carrying on into your adult life."

The way she talked made Caroline cringe; like she needed to be reminded that her childhood had been fucked over, like she needed to be reminded that her parents were dead. Dr. Ott was sugar coating it, trying to navigate her way around the word 'crazy' but implying it in the process.

"You don't think I actually saw the dead body," Caroline said, leaning forward. "Dr. Ott I don't just trip over nothing, I know that forest like the back of my hand."

Caroline could hear herself making up excuses; she was here to be diagnosed medically without judgment; but the hell with them, she knew what she saw.

"You're only human Caroline," Dr. Ott said, looking up from her paper. "Sometimes things just happen."

Not with running, Caroline was always in her element then, human or not.

"You saw your parents dead bodies," Dr. Ott said a little more tenderly. "It's natural for you to be hallucinating seeing them in that same state."

"It wasn't my parents I saw," Caroline said, biting her lip. "It was someone else, and he was really there."

Dr. Ott got this twinkle in her eye, as if the next words out of her mouth were just to humor Caroline.

"If that's so," Dr. Ott said, pursing her lips. "Then where is the body?"

Caroline bit her lip, she wasn't about to jump head first into the story of how she was kidnapped, and explain that her kidnapper was a vampire and had for some reason he let her go. She didn't even believe that part of the story herself, after all there was no such thing as vampire's, never.

"I don't know," was all Caroline could say, she saw a smug look in Dr. Ott's eye, as if she had proved something.

"Well let's move on to your foot wound," She said, looking up at Caroline. "Was that really an accident?"

The way Dr. Ott said it, made Caroline's teeth clamp together; how could she have never seen this side of this woman before?

"What do you mean, 'was it really an accident?" Caroline said, narrowing her eyes.

"I mean," Dr. Ott said, raising an eyebrow. "Was the wound perhaps self inflicted?"

The way she said it, so tenderly, made it seem like a mother kissing her child goodnight, but Caroline could hear the mockery behind her voice, and it made Caroline's eyes cloud in anger. Caroline felt herself pushing her body out of the cushioned chair, her legs still wobbly as she turned toward the door.

"Caroline," Dr. Ott said, although it was half-heartedly. Caroline ignored her as she exited and found her way out toward the waiting room. She took the stairs down to the parking lot two at a time, keeping her head down, as frustration boiling up inside of her. She was just about to push through the buildings main doors when she ran into someone. She staggered back a little as she stared up at the familiar face.

"Tyler?" Caroline said, rubbing her temple, where it had come in contact with the zipper on his hoodie. "What are you doing here?"

He looked down at her, his eyes bewildered as he took a step back, he then broke out into a nervous smile.

"Hey," He said, his voice deep. She hadn't seen him since Matt's party at the grille, in fact she hadn't been alone with him in months, and now it felt more than a little awkward. "I was actually looking for you."

"Me?" Caroline said, raising an eyebrow. Caroline looked around the lobby trying to find a place to relocate that was less awkward.

"Yeah your grandma said you were here," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "And I just wanted to make sure you were ok after the, you know, weird thing at the Grille."

Caroline looked down at her shoes, trying to listen as well as plot a way to leave quickly.

"Thanks, yeah, I'm fine." Caroline said folding her arms over her chest. "You didn't have to-"

"I wanted to," he said suddenly, cutting her off. Caroline bit her lip, her mind beginning to race back to her past, _their_ past together, but she quickly pushed that out of her mind, she already had too many bad memories swimming around in her head, there was no need to add another to the list. She looked up at his face; his eyes looked down on her tenderly, apologetically.

"I should really go," Caroline said, turning away from him, instead focusing her attention on her car parked a good twenty feet away.

"I'll drive you home."

"I drove my car here."

"Then maybe we can go ou-" Tyler began to say, following behind Caroline as she pushed through the double doors.

"Why are you doing this?" Caroline suddenly asked, turning to look at him. "Why now?"

Tyler stopped walking and stuck his hands in his pockets as he let out a breath, Caroline narrowed her eyes as she watched him sum up his words.

"Everyone's just worried about you, alright?" Tyler said, shrugging. "And I just want to make sure you're alright."

Caroline rolled her lips together as she stared passed him at a lady pulling her child along by the hand, the kid was wailing saying the mother was hurting him.

"I'm fine," Caroline said, without looking at him. "I have to go."

Then she turned around and started toward her car, feeling the distance grow between them. He didn't call or run after her, which would be the second time that day that someone let her walk away.

tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tv d-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd-tvd

"Hello?" Elena's voice chirped on the opposite end of the phone.

"Elena," Caroline said, as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"Caroline!" Elena said, her voice immediately getting higher. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Caroline said, she was getting real sick of people asking how she was. "I would be better if I hadn't ran into Tyler on my way out of the doctors office."

"Oh my god," Elena said, Caroline could hear her fake gasp on the other end.

"Save it Elena," Caroline said, pulling onto an old gravel road. "I know you told him to talk to me."

There was a pause on the other end, with some rustling in the background, as Elena readjusted.

"I'm sorry," Elena said, sighing. "I just thought that he might be able to get you out of this funk you're in right now."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Caroline said, her voice rising.

"Is it really that far fetched that I would ask him?" Elena yelled back.

"Yeah it kind of is," Caroline said, the forests trees passing by rapidly in front of her window. "Considering we broke up forever ago."

"It wasn't that long ago," Elena said, her voice lower. "I just wanted to help."

"Well don't," Caroline said, then she quickly hit the end button, throwing her phone toward the passenger seat. She let out a huge sigh as she gripped the steering wheel tightly. She decided to pull over to the side of the road, to try and gather herself before continuing the rest of the way home. She wouldn't let Tyler enter her mind, not now, not ever.

Apparently even her friends thought she was a lunatic, it seemed that no one understood what was happening to her, she was completely alone. Caroline pressed her head against the steering wheel, feeling the pulse in her neck, then she suddenly lifted her head as a thought entered her mind. There was only one person that understood, or at least claimed they did. Caroline tried to convince herself she was crazy for thinking such a thought, but as much as she tried to deny it, Klaus was there in her mind. His words not far off: "You're not the only one that sees those dreams…those _memories"_ Which means he must have known, no one else could have guessed what was going on in her head, but somehow he did. Soon she found herself pulling the car onto the main road, and trying to locate the entrance of the trail she had ran on that day.

She found it a little down the road; cars rarely entered through it, only to unload or load material down by the water front, but she knew there were neighboring houses that it lead to, and she remembered exiting through this forest, which means the house was here somewhere. Caroline drove on, contemplating each house she passed by, and trying desperately to remember which direction she had ran from. She kept on, staring at the array of trees, each seeming somewhat familiar, but only because she used to run by them.

Caroline was about to give up and turn around, but then she saw something in the distance, it was a light. It was straight ahead of her, although it was coming from deep within the forest. Caroline frowned as she opened up her car door and got out; the light was so bright now, that Caroline had to lift her hand to shield the glare.

"Hello?" Caroline called out, the light coming closer, so that now it filled her entire vision, she closed her eyes and turned away.

"_Hurry now!" Silas yelled as Camellia shielded her eyes from the bright torch in front of her. The witches were following the couple through the forest, their footsteps echoing among the trees. They were almost there, and the moon was high in the sky, it's fullness consuming the black background. Suddenly Silas stopped, and he reached back, his hand grasping Camellia's as he drew her closer to him. _

"_It is almost time," he mumbled against her head. The witches began forming a circle around the two, their heads engulfed by their hoods so their faces weren't shown. _

"_They are coming," Camellia said, her blonde hair tickling her face as the wind pushed against it. "I can feel it." _

_Silas brought his face closer to Camellia's, she could feel his breath against her cheek. _

"_Let them come," he breathed before the once tamed torches around them suddenly burst with life, making Camellia jump. _

Caroline gasped loudly, she could feel the fire against her body, it was everywhere; and there was a burning sensation in her heart for reasons she didn't know. Caroline opened her eyes; she could feel that she was on the ground because she saw the tops of the trees from her point of view. Caroline sat up, noticing her pants were wet from the damp ground; and she was leaned up against a tree, her head throbbing. How the _hell_ had she gotten here? She looked down the road beside her and noticed that her car was nowhere to be found. Had she walked and not realized it?

Caroline pulled herself up from the ground, she tried to recall the last thing she remembered, but all that came to mind was the bright light, and then…the memory. She didn't know why she kept classifying it as a memory, maybe because Klaus had called it one, or maybe it was the feeling she got whenever she was thrust into it; like she was Camellia. She could feel everything the woman was feeling even if she wasn't inside of her body, it was strange. But Caroline was sure now, more than ever, that she needed to find out what was happening to her, now that she knew she wasn't completely crazy.

Caroline turned around as she took in her surroundings, and then suddenly froze. There it was right in front of her; how could she forget the rotting wood along the sides of the house, or the way the front door was at a slight tilt, she had almost fallen running through it. It appeared that no one was inside; all the lights were off, giving it a ghostly feel. Caroline thought about turning back, finding her car, and getting the hell out of here. But she knew the memories- that felt like hers, but belonged to someone else- wouldn't stop until she understood. And how had she ended up here? There must be a reason. She didn't even have to see Klaus again, but perhaps he had some information buried deep inside the house. Caroline sucked in a breath of air as she summoned her courage, before taking a step toward the house.

t-v-d

Caroline hit her foot against a box, making her cringe as a few glass pieces inside shook from the bump. A moment later she continued digging through the box in front of her, trying to see if she could spot anything interesting. She had climbed in through the basement, where she ended up staying because it appeared that anything with remote old value would be located somewhere down there. There were only a small amount of boxes located in the far left corner of the basement, so she thought she would start there. Now though, it was seeming the hidden boxes were useless, only containing empty perfume bottles and old hair combs. Suddenly Caroline touched something new and different at the bottom of the box she was hunched over, she thought she knew what it was, but brought it up to confirm. Paper. Indeed it was, in fact, there was a mass amount of paper. When Caroline looked at the parchment in her hands closely, she saw that it was letters, folded over the top of each other.

_My dear Camellia, _

The letter started but Caroline heard something shift behind her, so she quickly shoved the letters into the inside of her jacket. She then slowly turned around, seeing a dark figure standing in the back, behind the staircase, when it emerged she saw it was Klaus. A small smile was on his lips, almost as if he were expecting her to be here.

"Hello, Caroline," Klaus said, his accent thick; he drew closer.

"How do you know my name?" Caroline asked, frowning.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking the questions?" Klaus said, raising an eyebrow.

Caroline swallowed hard, as she moved away from the boxes, closer to the exit. Klaus seemed to notice this because he glanced at the open window and then back at her.

"Oh come now," he said, almost annoyed. "If I were going to hurt you, then why would I have let you go in the first place?"

"Still trying to figure out why you kidnapped me in the first place," Caroline said, cocking her head to the side.

A small chuckle came out of his lips as he began pacing the room, his head down, arms behind his back. He then turned to her, his face turning more serious.

"Yet you came back," he said, studying her. "Knowing what you know."

Caroline adjusted her jaw as she looked away; cursing herself for thinking it was a good idea to come back in the first place.

"Which means," Klaus said, drawing closer, and it took everything in Caroline not to step away, after all, she had no where to go. "You came here with a specific goal in mind, were you hoping to find something?"

Klaus was suddenly next to Caroline, she could feel his breath on her skin, and it made her heartbeat quicken. But not because she was frightened, no, instead out of nervousness; like butterflies were dancing in her stomach. She must be truly insane if she were feeling this way about someone who almost killed her, someone she didn't even know. His closeness made her breath shallow, and she felt as if she wanted to lean into him, it was almost instinctive; but then she felt his hand on her collarbone. She felt it slowly slide up to her neck, and then down toward her heart, it momentarily brushed up against her breast before sliding under her jacket and retrieving the stolen letters. Caroline breathed out as he pulled away, staring down at the letters in confusion.

"So this is what you came for," Klaus said, pursing his lips, and she couldn't help but notice a beat of disappointment, but it was quickly gone.

"No," Caroline said, crossing her arms over her chest, and begging her heart to stop beating so fast. After all, he was a vampire wasn't he? So he could hear her heart. "I just happened to find those." She swallowed hard.

"So you're a vampire?" Caroline asked, hoping to change the subject, from the stolen documents. Klaus looked up at her, a small smile on his lips.

"If you believe in such things," he said, now tucking the letters into his own jacket.

"I don't know what to believe anymore," Caroline said, closing her eyes. "I just want to understand."

"To understand," Klaus said, his voice low. "You must believe."

Caroline felt herself relax, even if she shouldn't; it was like her body was automatically responding without her having any say.

"You said before," Caroline said, narrowing her eyes. "That you didn't kill me because you knew who I was."

Klaus considered this for a moment; he then backed away from Caroline toward the staircase and gestured for her to follow him. Caroline felt herself grow uneasy, unsure if she should follow. He was halfway up the stairs when he realized she wasn't following, and he glanced back down at her, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't trust you," Caroline said, although her words came out more like a whisper.

Klaus didn't move as he stared down at her, his hand clenching and unclenching the beam he was holding into.

"You don't have to," Klaus said, his face serious. "Just consider it a leap of faith."

Caroline still didn't move, she could tell by his eyes that he was giving her the option of leaving or staying, it was once again up to her.

"You want to know why you're being haunted by these memories that shouldn't belong to you?" Klaus asked, to which Caroline nodded. "Then you're going to have to stop running away."

Immediately Caroline remembered her mothers unspoken word, the last thing her mother wanted Caroline to do: _Run. _Even now it was as if her mother was screaming at her from beyond the grave, she could hear the word in her mind; _run, run, run!_ But for once Caroline's desire overpowered her fear, so she walked forward and climbed the stairs, following after him.


End file.
